Bag-filling apparatus.



G. STONE.

, BAG FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man ocr. 28. 1913. RENEWED 05c. 4.1914.

hmhmm Patented June 1, 1915.

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BAG FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED ocr.2a.191a. RENEWED DEC. 4,1914.

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m ngdLplPw AF 7 III THE NORRIS PETERS CO.. PHOTC-LITHOH WASHINGTUNfD. C.

G. STONE.

BAG FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man OCT. 28. ms. RENEWED use. 4, 1914.

Patented June 1, 1915.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3 1J4LQQUW 1H5 NOPI-FIS PETERS no. F'Hmc-LITHO WASHINGTON D c.

G. STONE.

BAG FILLING APPARATUS.

APPLICATION man OCT. 28. i913. RENEWED use. 4.1914.

Patented June 1, 1915.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

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George S607ce awn ripe.

GEORGE STONE, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO M. T. STEVENS AND SONS COMPANY, OF NORTH ANDOVER, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

BAG-FILLING APPARATUS.

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Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 1, 1915.

Application filed October 28, 1913, Serial No. 797,755. Renewed December 4, 1914. Serial No. 875,519.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE STONE, a citi zen of the United States, and resident of North Andover, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bag- Filling Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus for packing loose fibrous material in bags.

The invention is designed primarily for packing loose wool or cotton fibers or a mixture of such fibers in cloth bags for the purpose of drying such fibers after they have been taken from a dyeing apparatus.

v Of the accompanying drawings, which illustrate the invention: Figure 1 represents, in vertical section, three floors of a bhilding structure, my bag-filling apparatus being shown in front elevation. Fig. 2 represents a view similar to Fig. 1, showing the bagfilling apparatus in side elevation. In Figs. 1 and 2 the apparatus is in its initial position and is at rest. Fig. 3 represents a vertical section as seen from the front, the same showing a bag in operative position and a perforated tubular core therein. Fig. a rspresents a view similar to Fig. 3, showing the parts in another position, the rammer being shown in the act of compressing the loose fibers in the bottom of the bag. Fig. 5 is a front elevation of reversible mechanism for reciprocating the rammer, said mechanism in this figure being in position to cause the withdrawal of the rammer from the bag. Fig. 6 represents a vertical section in a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1, showing the elevator-controlling mechanism in the position corresponding to that of Fig. 5. Fig. 7 represents a front elevation of the gearing which-operates the rammer, said gearing being shown adjusted for imparting compressing movement to the rammer. Fig. 8 represents a view similar to Fig. 7, excepting that the gearing is adjusted for retracting the rammer. Fig. 9 represents a horizontal section in the plane indicated by line 9-9 of Fig. 5. Fig. 10 represents a top plan view of the ball race included in Fig. 9, the ball being shown at the opposite end of said race. Fig. 11 represents a longitudinal vertical section of the ball race shown by Figs. 9 and 10, dotted lines indicating the several positions at which the ball comes to rest. Fig. 12 represents a vertical section through the ball race in the plane indicated by line 1212 of Fig. 11. Fig. 13 represents a vertical section through the structure intersected by line 13-13 of Fig. 11. Fig. 1% represents a cletail including the upper end of one of the toothed rack-bars which reciprocate the rammer. Fig. 15 represents a side elevation of the power-transmitting mechanism. Fig. 16 represents a horizontal section through the structure intersected by line 1616 of Fig. 15. Fig. 17 represents a front elevation of the rammer-operating gearing in its neutral position. Fig. 18 represents a vertical section through the reversible rammeroperating mechanism and ball race. (See line 1818 of Fig. 17.) Fig. 19 represents a horizontal section through the structure intersected by line 1919 of Fig. 15. Fig. '20 represents a vertical section in the plane indicated by line 2020 of Fig. 19. Fig. 21 represents a view similar to Fig. 20, showing the parts adjusted to drive the belt. Fig. 22 represents a vertical section of the structure intersected by line 2222 of Fig. 19. Fig. 23 represents a section indicated by line 2323 of Fig. 19. Fig. 24 represents a front elevation of a device for automatically operating the belt-tightening device shown by Figs. 19 to 23. Fig. 25 represents in front elevation the bag elevator in its highest position, and shows the elevator well in vertical section. Fig. 26 represents a side elevation of the same, and shows the elevator-operating mechanism. Fig. 26 represents a vertical section through the removable part of the horizontal partition which supports the mouth of the bag.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts wherever they occur.

The main floor of the apparatus is indicated at 27. An elevator well 28 is disposed beneath this floor. A boX 29, resting upon the floor, supports a horizontal cover 30 from which a bag 31 is suspended. The horizontal partition 30 is provided with a circular opening slightly larger than the diameter of a filled bag, and the upper end of the bag is secured to this partition by a ring 32 which rests upon the partition, the latter being rabbeted, as shown by Fig. 3, for the reception of the ring. In securing the bag to the partition, its closed end is first passed downwardly through the opening in the partition and through the ring 32.

The ring is then lifted and the rim or mouth of the bag is folded downwardly over the ring and through the opening in the partition 30. The ring is then permitted to rest upon the partition and firmly holds the mouth of the bag. The partition 30 is made in two parts, one of which, indicated at 30 in Fig. 26*, is removable to permit the removal of the filled bag from the elevator as hereinafter explained.

The bottom of the bag rests upon an elevator 33 which is lowered to the bottom of the well 28 before the rim of the bag is secured as above described. This elevator is suspended by means of two upright bars 34 whose upper ends are connected by a crossbar 35. A strap 36, secured to the middle of the crossbar, extends upwardly to a shaft 37 and is anchored to the shaft. The shaft is adapted to be driven in one direction to wind up the strap and thus raise the elevator. A ratchet wheel 38 is secured to the shaft, and a retaining pawl 39 is adapted to coact with the ratchet wheel to support the elevator at an intermediate position. A chain 40 hangs from the pawl 39 and is adapted to lift the pawl from the ratchet wheel when the chain is drawn down. A pulley 41 is secured to the shaft 37, and a belt 4:2 extends downwardly from pulley 41 to a continuously driven pulley 43. The belt, however, is normally slack and merely touches the pulley 43 as shown by Fig. 20. In order to cause the shaft 37 to wind up the strap 36, it is necessary to tighten the belt 4:2, and for this purpose is provided a device comprising two idlers 44. These idlers are mounted upon oppositely movable blocks 45 which are arranged to slide horizontally on a bar 46. Pivotecl links f7 extend respectively from the blocks 45 to a two-armed lever 48 which is afiixed to a rockshaft 49. A hand lever 50 is affixed to the rockshaft in such position that when its free end is moved downwardly it causes the idlers Pl to move toward each other to tighten the belt as shown by Fig. 21. A spring 51 (see Fig. 19) is coiled about the rockshaft 49 and its ends are an chored respectively to the lever 50 and to raise the elevator.

After an empty bag has been placed in position for filling, as shown by Fig. 3, a small quantity of the fibrous stock is thrown into the bag to protect the bottom of the bag from injurious effects of acore 53 which is placed in the bag. This core is tubular and is provided with a large number of perforations 54-. It is used for drying the moist fibers which are packed in the bag, air or any other desired drying medium being blown into the outer end of the tubular core after the bag is filled and closed. The drying medium is thus distributed in the center of the mass of moist fibers and escapes by passing through the fibers and through the bag. After a suitable quantity of fibers has been thrown into the bottom of the bag, as shown by Fig. 3, the smaller end of the tubular core (the core being slightly tapered) is placed upon the stock in the bottom of the bag. In order to center the lower end of the core relatively to the bag, I prefer to utilize an annular rammer 55 whose primary purpose is to compress the fibrous material to pack it closely in the bag. This rammer is movable vertically and is hereinafter fully described. At the present time it will be sufiicient to state that in order to use the rammer for centering the core I may lower the rammer into the bag after the first quantity of fibers has been thrown into the bag but before the core is inserted. While the rammer is near the bottom of the bag the core may be inserted through the opening in the center of the rammer and thereby centered. The core now rests upon the stock which is indicated at :0, and a holder 56 is brought to bear upon end of the core to hold the core securely in the desired position. This holder is adapted to enter the larger end of the core and to press the core downwardly. It is afiixed to bars 57 which slide vertically upon guiding studs 58, the bars being provided with slots 59 in which the studs are arranged. The studs, as shown. are aflixed to the plate 52. One end of a chain (50 is fastened to the bars 57 and extends upwardly to a sheave 61, thence horizontally to a sheave 62 from which it hangs and is provided with a counterweight 63. An extension of the chain hangs from the weight 63 and is provided with a. suitable handle such as a ring (if. The weight 63 is not so heavy as the combined weight of the holder 56 and bars 57, the holder being therefore adapted to maintain a downward pressure upon the core The holder may be readily elevated by a downward pull on the ring 6%, and when the holder is raised to its highest position it is caught by a leaf spring 65. (See Figs. 5. G and 15). The lower end of the spring 65 is secured to the stationary plate 52, and the upper end of the spring is bent so as to coact with the tie-bar 57 which connects the upper ends of the vertical holder-bars 57. When the holder is elevated, the tie-bar 57 engages the bend near the upper end of the spring and displaces the spring laterally, said bend coacting then with the lower edge of the tiebar to support the holder.

After the holder has been lowered to coact with the core, the rammer is withdrawn from the bag and an additional quantity of stock is thrown into the bag. Suitable mechanism about to be described is then brought into operation to depress the rammer upon the stock in the bag, to compress the stock. This mechanism is reversible; that is to say, it first drives the rammer downwardly and then raises the rammer out of the bag so that more stock can be thrown in. The reversible mechanism is controlled by the resistance of the stock to the compressing movement of the rammer, and when the stock is compressed to a predetermined degree the operating mechanism is automatically adjusted to the position shown by Figs. 5, 6 and 8, to cause the raising of the rammer.

The annular rammer which compresses the stock 00 is secured to the lower ends of two toothed rack-bars 66. These bars slide in guides 67 and their outer edges engage stationary guide rolls 68. The confronting edges of said bars are provided with teeth which coact respectively with gears 69 and 70. The gears 69 and 70 coact with each other, as shown by Figs. 7, 8 and 17. A continuously driven. pinion 71 is adapted to coact with gear 69 as shown by Fig. 7 to depress the rammer, and to coact with gear 7 O as shown by Fig. 8 to raise the rammer, and to remain out of engagement as shown by Fig. 17 This pinion is aflixed to a shaft 72, one end of which is mounted in a swivel bearing 73 (Figs. 15, 16 and 19) adapted to turn about a vertical axis on a pivot 74. The other end of said shaft is mounted in a rocking bearing 75 (Fig. 18) which is adapted to rock upon a horizontal axis. The member 75 has a cylindric portion 76 which has a cylindric bearing in a fixture 77. In Fig. 18 the axis of the part 76 is indicated by dotted line 7 6, and the axis of the shaft 72 is indicated by dotted line 72. When the bearing member 75 rocks about the axis 7 6 it shifts the pinion 71 laterally to either of its driving positions or to its neutral position.

The bearing member 75 carries a troughshaped member 78 which is provided with i a ball race for a ball 79. The function of said ball is to reverse the movement of the rammer when the rammer has compressed the stock to a predetermined degree. The trough 78 is aflixed to the member so that it rocks about the axis 76. As shown by Figs. 1, 3, 11 and 16, the ball is in a pocket or depression 80, and the member 78 is in its neutral position. A rib 81 divides the trough-shaped member to provide two tracks for the ball, said ball being adapted to roll on either side of the rib. This device is used as follows: Assuming that it is in its neutral position and it is desired to cause the rammer to descend, the attendant first places the ball behind the rib 81, that is to say, on the side away from the pocket 80. The attendant then manually depresses the right-hand end of the member 78 to place the pinion 71 in coactive engagement with the gear 69, as shown by Fig. 7. This causes the rammer to descend, the rammer being provided with a counterweight hereinafter described. When the downward movement of the rammer is arrested by the stock on, the pinion 71, being continuously driven, moves toward the left from the position shown by Fig. 7, thus tilting the member 78 from the position shown by Fig. 4 to the position shown by Fig. 3. In the latter position the right-hand end of the ball race is raised so that the ball gravitates toward the left. After the ball has rolled beyond the center it depresses the left-hand end, thus carrying the pinion 71 into engagement with the gear 70. The pinion 71 then drives the gear 70, raising the rammer. A post 82 (see Fig. 15) carried by the rammer engeges the under side of the trough 78 at the left of the center and rocks the trough back to its neutral position, leaving the pinion 71 in the position shown by Fig. 17. The power is thus disconnected from the rammer when the rammer has reached its highest position. The rib 81 of the ball race does not extend to the left-hand end of the trough, and the ball when rolling from right to left passes beyond the end of the said rib, and is thrown forward by a defleeting surface 83. When the left-hand end of the trough is thereafter raised by the rammer as described, the ball rolls back to its initial position in the pocket 80, where it remains until the mechanism is once more set in operation by manually depressing the right-hand end of the trough as explained. The weight of the ball determines the degree to which the stock 00 will be compressed before the movement of the rammer is reversed. The direction of rotation of the pinion 71 causes said pinion to tend to shift from gear 69 to gear 70, and it is the weight of the ball, when the ball is at the righthand end of the trough, which holds the pinion in the position shown by Fig. 7. If a heavier ball were substituted the stock would be compressed to a greater degree, and if a lighter ball were substituted the pinion 71 would shift more readily and with less compression of the stock.

Ring-bolts 84 are screwed into the upper ends of the rack-bars 66 and to them are secured the ends of a counterweight cable 85. As shown by Figs. 1 and 2, the cable 85 extends over sheaves 86 and is provided with a counterweight 87 hereinbefore mentioned. I provide the ring-bolts 84: with cushioning devices consisting of sliding washers 88 and helical springs 89. The washers 88 are adapted to bear upon the guides 67 when the rammer is depressed to its lowest limit. The

function of these yielding devices is to prevent stripping the gears 69,70 and 71 in case the ra'mmer should descend when there is no stock 00 to resist its movement. The springs 89 constitute a yielding resistance to the downward movement of the rammer and are the equivalent of the stock as in causing an easy shifting of the ball trough.

The shaft 72 is driven by a belt 90. This belt passes over a pulley 91 atli'xed to shaft 7 2 and over a pulley 92 afixed to the shaft 37, and it also passes over an idle pulley 93 and over a driving pulley (not shown).

Afterthe tubular core 53 has been placed as shown by Fig. 3, an additional quantity of stock a? may be thrown into the bag and then compressed by connecting the mechanism which operates the rammer. It will be observed that the central opening 94: in the rammer enables the rammer to pass over the header 56 and over the collar 95 which is at the upper end of the core 53. The rammer, upon completing each compressing movement, is automatically reversed, and

then upon completing its upward movement is automatically disconnected and remains stationary until again set in operation. Additional quantities of stock are to be thrown into the bag after each cycle of the rammer, and when the bag has been sufficiently filled its mouth is closed around the core 53. The

ring 32 is, of course, removed in order to per mit closing the mouth of the bag. In practice, the bag is closed by sewing the mouth of the bag with stout string. When the mouth of'the bag has been closed, the removable part 30' of the horizontal partition 30 is removed and the front 96 of the boX 29 is taken out to permit the removal of the bag from the elevator well. The holder 56 is then raised to free the core 53, and the bag is tipped forward slightly so that the upper end of the core will not strike the rammer when the bag is raised. With the bag tipped forwardly, the elevator is raised to the position shown by Figs. 25 and 26, in which position it is nearly level with the floor 27. The'bag may then be tipped forwardly to a horizontal position upon the floor 27 and removed, and the elevator is then lowered and an empty bag arranged as shown by Fig. 3, to be filled as described.

I provide a connection in the form of a chain 97 (Figs. 15, 23, 24 and 25) between the elevator and hand lever 50, for the purpose of releasing theelevator belt 42 when the elevator has been raised to its highest position. As shown best by Fig. 24:, one end of chain 97 is attached to the elevator crossbar 35 and the other end is attached to the lever 50. A chain 98 suspended from a fixture 99 is connected to an intermediate link of the chain 97 for the purpose of support ing the chain 97 when the elevator is down.

The chain 97 is thus prevented from becoming entangled with the other mechanism. As the elevator-hoisting mechanism is driven only while a downward force is maintained upon the lever 50, it is necessary to hold the lever downwardly throughout the upward travel of the elevator, and when the elevator reaches its highest position the chain 97 becomes taut and overcomes the downward manual force which is being exerted upon the lever 50. The lever is thus moved by the elevator to release the belt 4-2, whereupon the rise of the elevator ceases and the elevator is held in its highest position by the pawl 39 and ratchet wheel 38.

I claim 1. In an apparatus for packing bags, :1 rammer, a continuously moving driver, and means for transmitting motion from said driver to move said rammer, said driver being arranged to disconnect itself from said transmitting means when the resistance of said means reaches a predetermined degree.

2. In an apparatus for packing bags, a rammer, a continuously moving driver, means for transmitting motion from said driver to move said rammer, and yielding means arranged to maintain driving connection between said driver and transmitting means, said driver being arranged to disconnect itself from said transmitting means when the resistance of said transmitting means overpowers said yielding means.

3. In an apparatus for packing bags, av rammer, a continuously moving driver, means for transmitting motion from said driver to move said rammer, and yielding means arranged to maintain driving connection between said driver and transmitting means, said driver being arranged to disconnect itself from said transmitting means when the resistance of said transmitting means overpowers said yielding means, said yielding means being arranged to maintain said driver out of driving relation with said transmitting means when said driver has been disconnected as aforesaid.

4. An apparatus for packing bags, comprising supports for the mouth and bottom respectively of a bag, a rammer for pressing the stock in the ba g", a continuously rotating driver, means adapted to be actuated by said driver to move said rammer toward and from the stock in said bag, said driver being adjustable to forward and reverse driving positions and to a neutral position relatively to said means, and means operable by the resistance of the stock to the pressing movement of said rammer for adjusting said driver to reverse the movement of said rammer.

5. An apparatus for packing bags. comprising supports for the mouth and bottom respectively of a bag, a rammer for pressing the stock in the bag, a continuously rotating driver, means adapted to be actuated by said driver to move said rammer toward and from the stock in said bag, said driver being adjustable to one position for driving said rammer toward the stock, and to another position for driving said rammer in the reverse direction, and to a neutral position, weighted means for holding said driver in the first-mentioned position, said driver being arranged to move itself to said neutral position and shift said weighted means in consequence of arresting the pressing movement of said rammer, said weighted means being adapted to shift said driver from said neutral position to reverse driving position.

6. An apparatus for packing bags, comprising supports for the mouth and bottom respectively of a bag, a rammer for pressing the stock in the bag, a continuously rotating driver, means operable by said driver for moving said rammer toward and from the stock in said bag, said driver being adjustable to forward and reverse driving positions and to a neutral position relatively to said means, a rolling weight, and a tilting raceway for said weight, said raceway being pivotally supported on a horizontal axis between its ends, and means operable by tilting movement of said raceway for adjusting said driver from one of said positions to another.

7. The combination of a rammer, a continuously driven gear, two transmission gears arranged to be rotated by said driven gear to move said rammer in one direction or the opposite according to which of said transmission gears is engaged by said driven gear, said driven gear being arranged to move itself out of driving relation with one of said transmission gears in consequence of resistance by the last-named gear, and Weighted means arranged to hold said driven gear in said driving relation until overpowered by said resistance, said Weighted means being arranged to move said driven gear into driving engagement with the other transmission gear.

8. The combination of a rammer, a continuously driven gear, two transmission gears arranged to be rotated by said driven gear to move said rammer in one direction or the opposite according to which of said transmission gears is engaged by said driven gear, said driven gear being movable back and forth from each of said transmission gears to the other, and weighted means arranged to move said driven gear into driving engagement with each of said transmission gears, said driven gear being arranged to move itself out of driving relation with one of said transmission gears in consequence of resistance by said one sufficient to overpower said weighted means.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature, in presence of two Witnesses.

GEORGE STON E, Witnesses BIRDIE V. M. EVANS, ALBERT A. SGHAAKE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

